Who owns our officials?

Forty years ago there was a joke around the capital that a moon pie and RC could buy anyone’s vote. This has changed. It takes two RCs and a big steak and a trip to some far-off place for a politician to gather his thoughts.

Someone has to pay for this and they must expect something in return. I remember in the old days that you were expected to give a love offering to get someone to listen to you about what you wanted passed. It worked but the price keeps going up. Now it takes thousands and possible millions to influence a vote.

Look at Congress. One man in California has given millions of dollars to hold up the pipeline. Who is paying the price for high gas prices, and it could have been avoided? Lobbyists spend millions every year and they expect to get something in return.

It's election time and I would like to make a recommendation that the editor publish the financial report of all politicians who are running for public office so that the public will know who's buying our fine upstanding officials.